EThekwini City Manager allegedly ousted for blocking ANC cadre deployment

21 December 2016

The DA has reliably learnt that eThekwini City Manager Sbu Sithole, was sacked by Mayor Gumede unlawfully, after he allegedly blocked ANC cadre deployment into several eThekwini positions.

The DA believes that City Manager Sithole is the victim of ANC bullying and stopping at nothing to insert its cadres into government jobs.

ANC regional secretary, Bheki Ntuli, recently released an internal ANC communication asking branches to submit names of loyal members to get government jobs in eThekwini. The deadline of 30 December requires his branches to send names who will then apparently get the jobs.

This is a gross and disgraceful undermining of employment practices, and it shows that the ANC will break the rules to dispense patronage.

The DA believes that the City Manager was the last bulwark against this ANC program, and therefore Mayor Gumede had to sack the City Manager.

Now, a whole week later, Mayor Gumede has realized that her sacking of the City Manager was illegal and had called a special council meeting for this week to try and rectify her mistake.

It is alarming that the Mayor has attempted this scheme during Council recess.

The DA will oppose this act by the Mayor at the special council, and the DA will fight for the rights of all residents of eThekwini to apply for jobs in the City.

Real opportunities will only be realized in eThekwini under a DA government.

Issued by Zwakele Mncwango, DA KZN Leader, 21 December 2016